Blank book.



O. R. FARGO.

BLANK BOOK.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 13, 1908.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFTQE.

CHARLES R. FARGO, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

BLANK BOOK.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. FARGO, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Blank Books, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings as constituting a part thereof.

This invent-ion has for its object to produce a book provided with an efficient marginal index, which however does not in any manner interfere with the fiat-lying of the leaves when the book is opened. In order to enable the index leaves to stand the strain of handling, they are necessarily reinforced and this, of course, increases the thickness at their margins and aggravates the bulging of the book. To overcome and neutralize such effect, I combine with each index leaf, provided with some marginal reinforce ment, an intermediate filler leaf, that is, one intermediate filler leaf with each side or face of the index leaf, and the parts being arranged as hereinafter fully described.

The details of construction of my invention will be readily understood by having reference to the accompanying drawing in which t Figure 1 shows a book embodying my invention opened in suchwise as to disclose the relative arrangement of the main indexleaves, the interposed groups of sub-index leaves, and also some filler leaves; Fig. 2 shows a portion of the upper corners of one of each of said three types of leaves arranged one above the other; this view being made on a larger scale than Fig. 1, to render the details more readily understood; Fig. shows a portion of the index-margin of one of the sub-index leaves; and Fig. 4 shows a portion of the index-margin of one of the main leaves, and the main index-tab projecting therefrom.

The letters designate the parts described.

The cover, a, of my book is provided with any suitable existing form of a loose-leaf clamping or binding device, the details of which are not important to my invention. The main index leaves, 6, are made the full width of the book, and provided at their outer margins with projecting index-tabs 0, arranged as convenient and preferably made of leather and cemented to the margins of the leaves.

The groups of sub-index leaves, (Z, are

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 13, 1908.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

Serial No. 457,564.

made approximately of the same width as the main index-leaves b, but have portions 6 of their margins cut away, so as to leave consecutively arranged projecting tabs f, preferably reinforced by cloth, and on which are imprinted the sub-division characters 9. The edges of the filler leaves extend only to the reinforcement of the index margin of the index leaves and are made of such thickness that a single filler leaf will fill out the space caused by the thickness of said reinforcement on the index margin. In other words, the thickness of the filler leaf is graded relatively to the thickness of said reinforcement, so that the upper surface of the reinforcement of an underlying index leaf will not project above the upper face of the' overlying filler leaf, but both will be substantially on the same level; and, of course, the same arrangement and result applies to index sheets overlying the filler leaf. Thus, no matter how many sub-index divisions there are contained in the book, if the described arrangement be carried throughout the leaves of the book, the book will continue to lie perfectly flat whether it is opened or closed. This feature is particularly of advantage when writing on the leaves, for without means of off-setting the thickness created by said reinforcement of the index leaves, the edges of all the leaves would bulge up at the margin, rendering writing thereon very awkward. here only a single filler leaf is to be primarily used between two index leaves having reinforced margins, the cross section of said single filler leaf must equal the thickness of such space intermediate the body of the index leaves and rest on one or the other. Additional filler leaves may then be inserted without limitation or effect on the flat-lying feature of my book.

In case my book is to be used for receiving, for example, the data of legal instruments recorded, a main index leaf is provided for each letter of the alphabet, and each of such leaves is provided with a group of sub-index leaves. On the latter are started the entries, and then filler leaves are relatively inserted between the sub-indexing leaves, from time to time as required.

I claim:

1. In a blank-book, the combination of a series of main or index leaves, each of said leaves having a projection, a tab attached. to each projection and leaf and forming a marginal reinforcement which extends a short distance of the length of each leaf, the tabs being disposed one in advance of the other, whereby the successive tabs are exposed to View along the edge of the book and a filler leaf or leaves interposed between adjacent main or index leaves, the thickness of which equals the thickness of the tabs above the surface of the main or index leaf, each filler leaf terminating short of the edges of the tabs.

2. In a blank book, the combination of a series of main or index leaves, each of said leaves having a stiffened tab attached to the edge of its respective leaf and forming a marginal reinforcement Which extends a short distance of the length of each leaf, the stiffened tabs being disposed one in advance of the other, the successive stiffened tabs being exposed to vieW along the edge of the book, and a filler leaf or leaves interposed between adjacent main or index leaves, the thickness of Which equals the thickness of the stiffened tabs above the surface of the main or index leaves.

CHAS. R. FARGO.

Witnesses S. H. HAINES, T. J. GEISLER. 

